The best Kentucky Derby betting apps are not at your favorite sportsbook in the United States. To bet on horse racing online, you must join horse racing betting sites exclusively, and the best horse racing promos of the year are reserved for the Kentucky Derby. This page will guide you in finding the best horse racing promotions to get you ready for betting on the Kentucky Derby. To get started, claim the TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS for up to a $400 bonus. :

Where to bet on the 2026 Kentucky Derby: Best betting apps

We’ll give you all the information you need on the best horse racing betting sites we have reviewed below. Find details below on new-user offers at TwinSpires and 1/ST BET to ensure that you’re set up for the 152nd Kentucky Derby. The 2026 Kentucky Derby will run on Saturday, May 2, at Churchill Downs.

TwinSpires: Up to $400 in bonus funds + bonus bets back

TwinSpires is the official racing book of Churchill Downs, which has hosted the Kentucky Derby since 1875. Using TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS, new users receive a sign-up bonus worth up to $400 based on how much they’ve wagered. For every $400 wagered on TwinSpires, users will receive $100 in bonus funds to use. Unlike at other sites where bonus credits don’t pay their stake back, TwinSpires bonus funds pay out the same as cash on winning bets. 

Extra TwinSpires Kentucky Derby promo: Bonus bets back if your Win bet loses
Go to the Offers tab on TwinSpires and opt in for the $10 Bet Back promo. 

Opt in and receive a Bonus Bet up to $10 back on your first single horse Win wager if your horse runs second or third in all eligible races at Churchill Downs from April 25 through Kentucky Derby Day on May 2. Here are the eligible races at Churchill Downs during that period: 

• A bonus bet will be awarded up to $10 if your horse finishes second or third in races with eight or more runners. No bonus bets will be awarded for third place in races with fewer than eight runners. 
• A bonus bet will be awarded up to $10 if your horse finishes second in races with at least five runners. No bonus bets will be awarded for races with fewer than five runners. 
• The total number of horses in the race is the number that actually run. Scratched horses do not count towards the total runners in the race field. 
• Remember, the offer applies only to the first single horse straight Win wager per eligible race. 
• Bonus bets are valid for 14 days after being issued. 

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1/ST BET: Up to $500 sign-up bonus ($20 per $100 wagered)

1/ST BET is another legal, US-based horse racing handicapping and betting app and it serves as the official partner of several major North American tracks like Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park. The 1/ST BET promo code is similarly structured to TwinSpires, but releases bonus funds more frequently and with a higher cap. For every $100 wagered, you’ll receive $20 in wagering credits and you can max that out at $500 overall. Sign up for 1/ST BET here:

FanDuel Racing: $500 No Sweat First Bet

The online racebook previously known as TVG was purchased by FanDuel in 2022 and rebranded as FanDuel Racing. Now it’s quickly becoming one of the largest Kentucky Derby betting apps and it’s offering a No Sweat First Bet up to $500 that you can redeem automatically as a new user. Use the FanDuel Racing promo code, make your initial deposit and then place a wager. If that bet loses, you’ll receive your stake back in the form of up to $500 in bonus bets.

How to bet on the Kentucky Derby online: Straight Wagers

Win

The win bet is simply betting on which horse will come in first place in the race. Using the 2026 Herbie Dyke Stakes as an example, the winner was Legarto and finished with 12-5 odds. A $2 Win bet paid $6.80, a product of the standard $4.80 for a 12-5 payout on a $2 bet, plus your original $2 wager amount back.

Place

The Place bet allows you to wager on whether a horse will finish first or second in a race, meaning two Place bets will pay out on each race. This gives you a greater chance of winning, but lowers your odds on the horse if they place. 

Using the 2025 Kentucky Derby as the example again, a $2 Place bet on the No. 18 horse only returned $7.50 compared to the $17.96 for a Win bet. But also, a $2 Place bet on the No. 8 horse (Journalism), who was the favorite but came in second, paid $4.94 while the Win bet lost. 

Show

The Show bet is an even more conservative betting option, as you are wagering on whether that horse will finish in the top three positions. That means three Show bets will pay out each race. For example, a $2 Show bet on a 10-1 winner returned $4. As you can see, show bet odds are far lower than win bet odds.    

Win/Place

You can also combine these bets on each horse when you’re placing your wagers. That means if you want to bet on a horse to win and place, you can do that. A $2 Win/Place bet really means you’re betting $4 – a $2 Win bet and a $2 Place bet. If the horse you bet on wins, you will win both bets. If the horse finishes second, you would only win the Place bet. 

Place/Show

The same is available for a Place/Show bet, where a $2 Place/Show bet would be $4 wagered on a $2 Place bet and a $2 Show bet. If your horse finishes first or second, you would win both, but if it finishes third you would only win the Show bet. 

Win/Place/Show (Across The Board) 

Finally, you can bet on all three options in what is often referred to as an Across The Board bet. A $2 Across The Board bet would really be $6 wagered – $2 on Win, $2 on Place, and $2 on Show. If you make an Across The Board bet and your horse wins, you get paid out on all three wagers. 

It’s important to note that betting on Win/Place/Show combinations may not result in a net return even if one of the bets pays. For example, at the 2024 Kentucky Derby, an Across The Board bet on the 11 horse would’ve returned just $5.58 on $6 wagered.

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How to bet on the Kentucky Derby online: Exotics wagering

Many horse racing bettors will place exotic bets where they try to predict where multiple horses will finish in a race. These combination wagers offer the chance for bigger payouts, but come with a lower probability of winning (just like parlays in sports betting). 

It is important to note that, unlike sports betting, there is no standard odds calculation to use for determining exotic payouts. Because of Parimutuel wagering, odds can fluctuate until the race begins, depending on which horses other bettors are backing. 

Exactas

An exacta bet is picking the two horses that finish first and second in the exact order. Once again using the 2025 Kentucky Derby as an example, a $2 exacta on the No. 18 and No. 8 horses (who closed with final odds of 7-1 and almost 3-1) paid $48.32.

Trifectas

This horse racing wager is placing a bet on the exact order of the top-three finishers in a race. A straight trifecta will pay handsomely, but is extremely difficult to hit. Trifecta payouts are often shown for $0.50 bets, but some will show for $1 bets as well. The payout screen will tell you which, but that’s important to note so you’re aware of how much you are getting back. The 2025 Kentucky Derby Trifecta paid $231.12 on a $1 Trifecta bet. 

Superfectas

Superfecta bets try to predict the exact order of the top-four finishers in a horse race. The superfecta payout is usually shown for a $1 bet. For the 2025 Kentucky Derby, a $1 superfecta that added the fourth-place No. 3 horse to the trifecta paid $1,682.27.

Super High 5

Some books will even allow you to bet on the top-five finishers in their exact order in what is called a Super High 5 bet. Those payouts will again be shown for a $1 wager. The odds of hitting a Super High 5, especially in a large field race, are exceptionally low. The 2025 Kentucky Derby’s $1 Super High Five paid $38,405.96.

Box

A box bet allows you to have every possible combination for exotics. If you think you know which two horses will hit the exacta but are not sure in what order, you can box it. The same goes for trifectas and superfectas. The more horses you box together, the lower your total profits on the payout will be. 

For example, a three-horse exacta box bet costs $12 to bet, as you are betting $2 on all six potential combinations between those three horses:

• $2 on No. 1 in first, No. 2 in second
• $2 on No. 2 in first and No. 3 second
• $2 on No. 3 in first and No. 1 in second
• $2 on No. 3 in first and No. 2 in second
• $2 on No. 2 in first and No. 1 in second
• $2 on No. 1 in first and No. 3 in second

You can do the same for Trifectas and Superfectas, but at exponentially escalating costs. A $1 Trifecta Box with three horses is six combinations, so $6 wagered:

• $1 on No. 1 in first, No. 2 in second, No. 3 in third
• $1 on No. 1 in first, No. 3 in second, No. 2 in first
• $1 on No. 2 in first, No. 1 in second, No. 3 in third
• $1 on No. 2 in first, No. 3 in first, No. 1 in second
• $1 on No. 3 in first, No. 1 in second, No. 2 in third
• $1 on No. 3 in first, No. 2 in second, No. 1 in first

From there, four horses in a $1 trifecta box is 24 combinations for $24 wagered. Five horses is 60 possible combinations for $60.  A $1 Superfecta box of four horses is $24 wagered, five horses is $120 wagered and six horses is $360 wagered.

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How Kentucky Derby betting odds and payouts work

If you’re making your first foray into betting on horse racing, the first thing you need to know is that it utilizes parimutuel odds. That means that all of the wagers go into a pool and payouts are determined after the fact based on what percentage of the money was wagered on each respective horse and wager. Oftentimes, that means that the odds you’ll see at the betting window (or on your phone) are different than what you’ll receive upon payout.

That’s a stark contrast from sports betting, where you lock in a price at the time of your wager and are paid at that rate regardless of the action that comes in after the fact. That’s something you have to be keenly aware of while building betting slips, and it can be particularly volatile for big-money races like the Kentucky Derby. There’s also no practical benefit to shopping around for pricing, because wagering from all sites goes into the same pool for each race.

2026 Kentucky Derby horse, top contenders

The Road to the Kentucky Derby included 36 prep races, with points awarded for each race to determine the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby standings. There are also four races on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and 10 races on the Euro/MidEast Road. Here’s a breakdown of some of this year’s top Kentucky Derby contenders.

Commandment

The leading point getter on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, this horse is owned by Wathnan Racing and trained by Brad Cox. He earned 150 points on the trail and racked up $943,020 in earnings. He was sired by Into Mischief and Luis Saez will likely be his jockey.

Further Ado

Also trained by Brad Cox, this son of Gun Runner is owned by Spendthrift Farms and earned 135 points and $1,068,095 on the trail. John Velazquez is likely to be in the saddle when/if he is entered into the 2026 Kentucky Derby

Renegade

Also sired by Into Mischief, Renegade earned 125 points on the trail and has already reached $1,002,500 in career earnings. Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr. are the trainer/jockey combo for this product of Repole Stable.

So Happy

Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners co-own this son of Run Happy that won the Santa Anita Derby earlier this month. Mark Glatt is the trainer and Mike Smith was the jockey at Santa Anita, but he’s also a frequent collaborator with Bob Baffert. So Happy earned 115 points and $444,000 on the Derby trail.

Fulleffort

Brad Cox has become one of the best trainers in North America and this is his third horse in the top five of the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby standings (110 points). This son of Liam’s Map will likely be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and is owned by St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing.

The Puma

Gustavo Delgado trains this son of Essential Quality and Javier Castellano is the preferred jockey. OGMA Investments, JR Ranch and High Step Racing combine to own this horse, which earned 106 points and $428,000 on the trail.

Silent Tactic

One of only four horses to reach $1 million in earning from this crop of three-year-olds, Silent Tactic is a son of Tacitus. He’s trained by Mark Casse, ridden by Cristian Torres and owned by John C. Oxley.

Emerging Market

Trainer Chad Brown is still chasing his first Kentucky Derby win and this could be his best chance in 2026. This horse was sired by Candy Ride and will be ridden by Flavien Prat. He collected 100 points on the trail and earned $600,000.

Albus

Owned by Pin Oak Stud and trained by Riley Mott, this son of Yaupon also collected 100 points and a $400,000 purse for winning the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. He now has two wins in four career starts.

Potente

Bob Baffert is a six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, but this is likely to be his only entry in the 152nd running. Another son of Into Mischief, Potente also scooped up 100 points on the Derby trail and enters with career earnings of $220,000.

Pavlovian

This son of Pavel was second at the Louisiana Derby in March and earned 70 points to go along with $527,000 in earnings on the trail. Trainer Doug O’Neill is a two-time Kentucky Derby winner and the expected jockey will be Edwin Maldonado.

Right to Party

Trainer Kenneth McPeek is two years removed from his first Kentucky Derby win and he’ll have a live longshot with this son of Constitution. Right to Party piled up 65 qualifying points this season and has produced $176,000 in earnings for owner Chester Broman Sr.

Incredibolt

Pin Oak Stud and Riley Mott will team up again with this son of Bolt d’Oro and the jockey will be Jaime Torres. He won the Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs in his last start and has $424,570 in career earning to go along with 60 qualifying points.

Golden Tempo

Sire Curlin is one of the greatest studs in history and Golden Tempo is coming off a third-place run at the Louisiana Derby. Cherie DeVaux is the trainer and Jose Ortiz is expected to be in the saddle with Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable sharing ownership.

Chief Wallabee

Bill Mott trains this horse, after Mott won last year’s Derby with Sovereignty. In his penultimate workout before the Run for the Roses Mott went as far as to say Chief Wallabee is working like the 2025 Derby winner. Mott’s colt this year will have to take a step forward after finishing third behind Commandment and The Puma in the Florida Derby, but certainly has the speed figures to be a factor in this race. 

Chip Honcho

Chip Honcho has moved into the top 20 of the Kentucky Derby point standings with the defections of other horses, but Steve Asmussen has some work to do in order to contend if entered. Chip Honcho finished only 5th in the Louisiana Derby last time out, with final fractions that showed a tiring horse. The Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles will be the longest race any of these horses has run. 

Intrepido

Intrepido entered the top 20 of the Derby point standings on Thursday, April 23 with the defection of Stark Contrast. Trained by Jeff Mullins, this colt will surely be a big longshot after finishing 4th in the Santa Anita Derby. He has not won a race since the Grade I American Pharoah for two-year-olds on October 4. 

Danon Bourbon

The top horse in the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby standings is actually a Kentucky-bred, but he won the Fukuryu Stakes his last time out. Danox Co. Ltd. is the owner, Manabu Ikezoe is the trainer and Atsuya Nishimura will be the jockey for this son of Maxfield.

Wonder Dean (JPN)

This is also a Japanese horse, but he qualified via the Euro/MidEast trail after winning the UAE Derby late last month. Daisuke Takayanagi is the trainer, Ryusei Sakai will be the jockey and the horse is owned by Yoshinari Yamamoto.

Six Speed

This horse also qualified through the Euro/MidEast Road to the Kentucky Derby, finishing second behind Wonder Dean in the UAE Derby. This son of Not This Time is trained by Bhupat Seemar and will be ridden by Mickael Barzalona.

2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby standings (as of April 23)

Kentucky Derby payout history

2025 Kentucky Derby payouts

Sovereignty (Based on a $2 bet)
Win: $17.96
Place: $7.50
Show: $5.58

Journalism (Based on a $2 bet)
Place: $4.94
Show: $3.70

Baeza (Based on a $2 bet)
Show: $8.38

Exacta (Based on a $2 bet)
Sovereignty + Journalism: $48.32

Here are the payouts for the 2025 Kentucky Derby combination bets, with all of them based on a $1 wager.

• Trifecta: $231.12
• Super High Five: $38,405.96
• Double: $26.96
• Pick 3: $128.32
• Pick 4: $572.78
• Pick 5: $3,008.88
• Pick 6: $10,312.35

Notable big Kentucky Derby payouts

• Donerail won the 1913 Kentucky Derby as a 91-1 longshot and to this day remains the biggest underdog to ever win the Run for the Roses. 
• Rich Strike drew into the 2022 Kentucky Derby field after multiple entrants were scratched and went off at 80-1, paying $163.60 on a winning $2 ticket. In that same year because of Rich Strike’s stunning victory, a $1 superfecta ticket paid out $321,500 for one lucky bettor.
• At the 2018 Kentucky Derby, when Justify began his Triple Crown journey with a win at Churchill Downs, he helped cash a $1.2 million Pick 5 on an $18 bet for a horseplayer in Texas. His other winners that day were Limousine Liberal, Maraud, Funny Duck and Yoshida. 
• In 2019, when Maximum Security was disqualified for aggressive riding, Country House became the winner. That year, a $1 superfecta ticket cashed for $51,400.10.

Kentucky Derby traditions

Since the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875, the Run for the Roses has become one of the most iconic sporting events in America, and Churchill Downs is constantly adding to its enduring list of Kentucky Derby traditions. These are some of the most prominent traditions for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

“My Old Kentucky Home”

Written by Stephen Foster in 1852, “My Old Kentucky Home” became a staple of the Kentucky Derby in the early 1920s and was then tabbed as the state song in 1928. Since 1936, the University of Louisville marching band has played the song as the horses are led from the paddock onto the track at Churchill Downs.

The Garland of Roses

Since 1896, the winner of the Kentucky Derby has been adorned with a 40-pound blanket made up of 465 hand-picked roses. In 1925, the Kentucky Derby was deemed the “Run for the Roses” by sports columnist Bill Corum. Since 1987, the garland has been assembled by grocery store brand Kroger.

Mint juleps

The classic cocktail made of bourbon, simple syrup and fresh mint over crushed ice has been a fixture of the Kentucky Derby for a century and has been the official drink of the race since 1938. Roughly 120,000 are served during Derby weekend at Churchill Downs, and Kentucky bourbon brand Old Forrester is used to make the cocktail. It’s traditionally served in a silver or pewter glass so that it will frost over slightly to keep spectators cool.

Kentucky Derby food

The Kentucky Hot Brown is another staple of Derby weekend, as the open-faced sandwich is topped with turkey, bacon, tomatoes and Mornay sauce. 

The trademark Derby Pie is a chocolate and walnut tart that was designed in the 1950s. 

Finger foods are also popular at the Kentucky Derby, with Benedectine (cucumber and cream cheese spread) and pimento cheese often offered with crackers or toasted baguette.

Kentucky Derby hats

Ornate hats have been a staple of high society in the South for centuries, and dressing up for the Kentucky Derby has become a part of the spectacle. More over-the-top displays became popular in the mid-1900s, and celebrities have gotten in on the trend, too. Green is considered unlucky at the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby fashion

Beyond the hats, the Kentucky Derby is generally a colorful experience. Bold spring colors are featured prominently, with men often wearing bright blazers and slacks with colorful bow ties and women opting for floral-patterned dresses and accessorizing heavily.

The twin spires of Churchill Downs

When Churchill Downs decided to build a new grandstand in 1895, Joseph Dominic Baldez drafted the blueprints and designed the iconic TwinSpires that sit on top of the roofline. They’ve become the architectural soul of the track, and the Kentucky Derby and former president Matt Winn promised Baldez that when he died, the spires would stand as a monument to his legacy.

Kentucky Derby winner’s circle

A permanent winner’s circle was installed on the infield at Churchill Downs in 1938, and it’s where the Garland of Roses and the trophy are awarded. Prior to that, winners were marked by a chalk circle on the track. 

The Kentucky Derby winner’s circle next to the turf course includes a horseshoe of roses, in which the Derby winner is led into for pictures while draped with the garland of roses. It is only used once per year, to honor the Derby winner. It sits below the pagoda where the gold trophy is awarded by the Governor of Kentucky. Every other horse that wins a race at Churchill Downs goes to a different winner’s circle under the twin spires next to the dirt track. 

The Churchill Downs infield

For decades, this is where the Louisville locals have gathered on Derby Day. The main entrance is through a tunnel under the main track at Churchill Downs, and it is typically one big party on the first Saturday in May. Nearby residents will often walk to the track from their homes. On rainy Derby Days, look out for the mud sliding contests on the infield. 

Churchill Downs and Kentucky Derby fun facts

• 1875: Churchill Downs opened in 1875, the year of the first Kentucky Derby, and features a one-mile dirt oval, a seven-furlong turf track on 175 acres that includes barns to house up to 1,400 horses.

• The Big Board: The 4K video screen at Churchill Downs known as “The Big Board” was the largest in the world when it was built in 2014, measuring 171 feet wide by 90 feet high.

• The bugler: The Kentucky Derby has had the same bugler for 31 years. Steve Buttleman played his 30th Kentucky Derby call to the post in 2025, each one from the pagoda above the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle next to the turf course, directly across from the twin spires and middle of the grandstands. Buttleman almost didn’t go to his audition. His wife’s car was in the shop, and he warmed up in the parking lot of his auto mechanic’s garage. He was the only one not in a coat and tie, wearing sneakers and a windbreaker. 

• The main track: The dirt track at Churchill Downs is a mixture of sand, clay and silt resting on a solid clay base.

• The Mansion: The Churchill Downs “Mansion” is an ultra-exclusive high-roller club that requires personal invitation.

• The Speakeasy: There’s a speakeasy under the Wood Reserve Paddock Club that requires a secret code for entry.

• The Tunnel: A secure, bourbon barrel-lined tunnel connects the paddock with some of the more exclusive areas at Churchill Downs.

• The Record Crowd: The 2015 Kentucky Derby drew 170,513 spectators, making it the largest crowd in Churchill Downs history.

• The Stakes Races: Churchill Downs hosts over 40 graded stakes races per year.

• The Museum: There’s a Kentucky Derby museum on the grounds at Churchill Downs that focuses on the history of the track and the race.

• The Dozen: There have been 12 CEOs and 12 track announcers in the 151-year history of Churchill Downs

• The dress code: There is a Churchill Downs dress code depending on where you sit, with track casual, smart casual or business casual required depending on where you’ll be viewing

• The Twin Spires: The iconic twin spires at Churchill Downs were secretly restored internally in 2002.

• The mural: A 36-foot mural in the clubhouse features caricatures of every winning jockey since 1875

• The backside: Tours of the Churchill Downs “backside,” which houses the barns, a kitchen, a chapel and even a bank, are available throughout the year.